Gomez may still have bright political future

Five months ago, Gabriel Gomez’s name raised barely a ripple even in his hometown Cohasset. But a day after the political newcomer and former Navy SEAL lost his bid for the U.S. Senate, Gomez may have carved out a future in Republican politics.

Five months ago, Gabriel Gomez’s name raised barely a ripple even in his hometown Cohasset. But a day after the political newcomer and former Navy SEAL lost his bid for the U.S. Senate, Gomez may have carved out a future in Republican politics.

“Gomez did fabulous,” said Ron Kaufman, a veteran national Republican strategist and Quincy native as news of Gomez’s defeat flashed on a TV screen in the Seaport Boston Hotel. “This is Gabriel’s first race, but by far, not his last.”

In his concession speech, Gomez made no mention of future aspirations but drove home the point made by his backers and some political observers that he built up a name in a short span of time.

“It’s because of the people in this room, that we came as far as we did literally starting from scratch 5 months ago. Nobody knew who I was outside Cohasset and a couple Little League baseball teams,” he said Tuesday night.

Patricia McDonnell, an Abington resident and Gomez supporter at the election night party, said Gomez should “absolutely” run for office again.

“We need someone young and vibrant,” she said, saying she was impressed by his primary win when he beat fellow Abington resident Michael Sullivan.

Given the odds, Gomez argued in is concession speech, his campaign made a good showing.

“In the military you learn that not every fight is a fair fight. Sometimes you face an overpowering foe,” he said “We were massively overspent. We went up against the whole national Democratic party, its allies and the machine.”

Later, he added: “I offer absolutely no excuses for coming up short.”

Political observers on the South Shore, though, differ on whether Gomez has political staying power.

Michael Kryzanek, who teaches political science at Bridgewater State University, said Gomez lost – and lost soundly – because he lacked substance and experience.

“Republicans better come up with someone better than Gabriel Gomez,’’ Kryzanek said. ‘‘From the barn jacket to the SEAL jacket, people see through that. His command of the issues was generally rudimentary.”

Gomez will fade from the political stage, predicted Kryzanek.

Kryzanek and Peter Ubertaccio, a political science professor at Stonehill College in Easton, agreed that Gomez failed to win significant support from any marquee Republicans in Massachusetts.

But Ubertaccio said Gomez could follow in the footsteps of others who lost big statewide elections and went on to win in later attempts.

“He will have name recognition, he will have an organization,” said Ubertaccio. “He could turn around and run for an office in 2014.”